Monday, December 31, 2012

The End of the Year


So... 2012 is almost over. I really can't believe it! Where DOES the time go and how can I make it slow down?

I feel like there are lots of housekeeping things to do in the next few hours.

I need to contemplate New Year's Resolutions. Do you make those? If so, what are they? I am really not a fan of resolutions, I think that I only set myself up for failure when I make them. I would like to be more organized and start running/jogging. Just thinking about the latter makes me want to vomit. I have not yet learned how to enjoy running/jogging. I think people should only run when they're being chased or have to get to the toilet quickly!

I need to spruce up my blog and I'm contemplating a blog project for 2013. Stay tuned!

I'm also thinking about my word for 2013. My word for 2012 was happiness. Did you have a word for the year? I have been reflecting on the success of my word. I did achieve what I had intended to achieve when I selected the word. I wanted to be HAPPY 24/7. You know, one of those people that always looks on the bright side and never seems to have PMS. I'm just not that person! But... I did identify some things that make me happy and I have an idea of some things I would like to move forward with for next year to create more happiness. My word has also helped me to take a look at some of my brokenness. Healing the broken pieces should bring more happiness. So... All in all, I would call my year of happiness a success.

Do you have a word picked out for 2013? I heard about the idea for One Little Word, late in 2011, here. Have you heard about it? EVERYBODY'S doin it! You're not cool if you don't. Just kidding! I'm thinking of making abundance my word for 2013, but I don't just want abundance I want joyful abundance! Can I have 2 words for 2013????? I will get back with you about my word(s) for the year. I'm still thinking on it. I better figure it out quick!!!!!

Happy end of the year Monday!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Our Christmas

Here is the Christmas tree picture I promised in my last post:

Notice how the ornaments are missing from the bottom branches. Most of those were taken off and thrown. When they call plastic ornaments shatterproof, they do not mean unbreakable. The tops actually break off quite easily. And... Candy canes shatter when thrown! Fortunately, the dogs were willing to eat the broken pieces of candy cane. As an added bonus, they would have minty fresh breath, briefly.


Christmas Eve pics:

 Sophie is wearing her Christmas pjs. As kids, we were always given new Christmas themed pajamas on Christmas Eve. Did you have the same experience?


Looking at the lights:



And the stockings were hung (I'm cracking up that the cross stitched menorah is still on the mantel in the background - it was a gift to Alex from the Nanny):



Sophie's Power Wheels Barbie Jeep (she was terrified of it at first but now she LOVES it):



Riding the Step 2 Roller Coaster in the basement (Alex snapped this picture - it's my favorite - I love the joy in her expression):

 She screams whee and yippee when she rides it! I LOVE to see how happy it makes her!!!!! It is cuteness overload.


Pumpkin cheesecake that I made without a real recipe (it turned out great!):




The obligatory child in a box picture:


Our Christmas was nice. We didn't really do anything other that stay busy with Sophie ALL DAY. I'm hoping that we can have some family around, next year. I also hope that everyone else had an enjoyable Holiday, whatever/wherever/however you celebrate!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

It's Christmas Tree Time

Well... It's a little late to be Christmas Tree time, in my book. I should have had a tree up and decorated weeks ago! I am only just now getting ours decorated. This year the tree is quite a chore. Usually, I get out boxes of fancy ornaments and keepsake ornaments, but I have decided not to do that this year. Sophie is way too interested in the ornaments to stick with the look-but-don't-touch rule. Oh yeah... And Vinnie, one of our dogs (the French & English bully mix) thinks that the ball shaped ornaments are toys for him to play with!

So... I have chosen the shatterproof (that means plastic) ornaments, candy canes, and probably gingerbread men to decorate the tree. Did I mention that Sophie wants to take individual lights off of the tree?

Just for fun, I started looking for pictures of what I thought a perfect Christmas Tree looks like. Here's my fav:


I think I like pretty much everything about this picture. It makes me want to drink eggnog and sing carols!

My tree (nor my living room) will look like this. My tree is lopsided and will be edible and toddler proof. But... That will be just fine with me as long as it makes Sophie happy! Stay tuned, I will post pics of our completed tree, tomorrow.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Tears

I haven't posted anything for a few days. I've been busy and distracted. A's mother was in town for the weekend (that wasn't the source of my tears - well only some of them), and I had lots to do to get prepared.

I have resisted writing anything about the shooting in Connecticut because I just didn't know what to say. It is so heartbreaking to think of all of the families who are suffering from this tragedy. I have avoided watching the news, because I just can't face it. Once you become a mom, it is so much more difficult to see the children who were lost and to think of the mother's who lost them.

I hadn't really cried about it until this morning. My daughter's Nanny was telling me about some of what she has heard about the children who were lost. She mentioned that one little girl's Grandfather had passed away a few months ago and how he would have been waiting for her. I knew it was true. I thought of all of those souls of loved ones waiting to receive the victims of this tragedy, waiting to give them hugs once more.

It makes me think of my grandfather, who died about a year and a half ago.



I'm so grateful that he got to meet Sophie before he passed away, even if it was just once when she was tiny. I am so grateful to have my daughter. My heart just aches for the families that are hurting. I wish I could do something to comfort those poor mothers. The loss of a loved one is so difficult, I would think the loss of a child must be nearly unbearable.

I have been reading where people are lighting candles in memory of the victims and sending out positive energy. I think I'm going to try to do something like that. Our Nanny is going to light 26 luminaries on Christmas Eve in honor of the victims (she usually only lights 10). I kind of like her idea.

This is just my little way of sending out thoughts and hugs to everyone who is hurting. I'm not sure what the answer is to stopping this kind of violence, but I hope we come up with some answers soon.

I love you Nana, Papa, and Gran (Ora & Mama Gin too). There is not a day that passes that I don't think of you and wish I could have just a little more time to spend with you! It helps me to think that you are still watching us and loving us from somewhere just around the corner, somewhere not too far away but just out of reach.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Dreaming of Cookies

It is a sad sad time for both my waste line and my backside...

I bought this magazine last night:


And... Then... I had dreams about cookies. As if the holiday season isn't already bad enough for packing on pounds, I'm now having dreams about cookies!

I love the America's Test Kitchen publications. They give the recipes, as well as, tons of great information and tips. The info is good for inexperienced cooks, and foodies who just want to learn more. Anyway, I have already looked through this issue and there are several (ok more than just several) recipes that I want to try.

Here's a list of the first 3 recipes I want to try:
1. Poor Man's Toffee
2. Pecan Bars
3. Rocky Road Bars

These are all bar type cookies and I think I'm leaning towards these because they will take less time. Time is an important consideration when you have a toddler! I'm also thinking about how I can tweak the recipes to make them my own. I RARELY use a recipe exactly as it is written. I usually want to make things to suit my/our specific tastes. I can't wait to try some. Hopefully, I will be able to make some time to bake, tonight.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Today...

I'm taking it easy, today. I have been recovering from what I guess was a bout of food poisoning. It felt more like I'm dizzy and have no energy, with a side of I must hug the toilet for the rest of the day. NOT PRETTY.

I've been catching up on blogs, pinning on Pinterest, and reading this:

Made With Paper by Florence Temko. It's from the early 90's. I found a copy in a thrift store (of course), and I'm really enjoying the projects. There are some fun, fun ideas in it!

I have also been looking for ideas for book storage via the internets. My thrift store book collection is OUT OF CONTROL.  Our cleaning ladies did this in our bedroom to try to deal with some of the books:


Helpful but not exactly nice to look at. I need to rearrange and organized them to make them look appealing.

I saw some ideas in a recent issue of a design magazine (I can't remember which one), where they have book storage on the side of a staircase (books actually on the stairs). Kind of like this, but more organized:


Is this a clever idea or just what hoarders have to do????????

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Turkey Day & A Project

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, had an enjoyable one! This year, I did not cook ANYTHING! We went out for a Thanksgiving buffet. It was nice, especially since there was nothing to clean up. I usually cook tons of food and then have tons of pots & pans to clean. Man, I can really destroy a kitchen. Cooking is fun, cleaning is not!

However, my sassy pants child did not want to sit still through the meal. So... We played musical chairs, ate in shifts, and walked about. At least she was adorable. See below:





Now get ready for her close up:



I had to lock her in the bathroom to get those. She never wants to stand still, but I LOVE the kid!


To change the subject...
Here is a project I'm going to be working on:


It's a wood & metal reindeer candle holder. I found it at Goodwill. Someone had painted it gloss white (they did a crappy paint job) and hung silver jingle bells from its antlers. I'm not 100% sure what to do with it yet, but I will update you when it's done. Hopefully, I will take step by step photos.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Overwhelmed


I am feeling completely overwhelmed, today. The people around me are noticing it. There are just so many things that I need to do, want to do, and have to do...

So... I'm going to try to take it easy, today. I'm not going to stress about everything. I'm going to be grateful that I get to spend a great deal of time doing things that I truly love to do. I'm going to remember that hard work is a good thing, not a bad thing!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Projects. Projects. AND MORE PROJECTS!

I have more projects to work on, right now, than I care to think about,Most are of the furniture refinishing/refurbishing/up cycling variety. I keep finding really great pieces of furniture to fix up and sell. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, it's just that I have trouble getting much else done. My shopping/junking habit has been so extreme within the last week that most of the time I could not see out of the back of my car (and there was no room in the car for my child --- A BIG OOPS!!!!).

See below:


I just keep finding things and trying to fit them in the house and in the car.

Sassy ends up climbing on things:


This morning I worked on stripping and distressing a couple of tables. I need to get them ready to sell before Christmas. I am hoping to sell lots my of finds before the holidays.

I did, however, take the day off, yesterday. I spent the afternoon with Sassy. We went to McDonald's, just the two of us. I wanted her to play on the indoor play area. It was a success.


 Now, I am off to look for more junk and to get drawer pulls to finish my projects.

Happy Monday!!!!!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Confession

I confess... The other night I didn't really cook any dinner. I just kinda snacked, but before bed I was HUNGRY. So, I got the idea that I wanted toasted pecans for a late night snack. Sounds harmless enough, right??????

They were probably not so harmless after I added butter and salt.


There they are in the oven. Beautiful salty, buttery, toasty pecans. Toasted pecans remind me of the holiday season. People would often give them as gifts in pretty tins. They are super easy to make. You just toss pecan halves in melted butter, and sprinkle with salt (to taste). Then, lay the nuts on a baking sheet and bake until they start to smell toasted. I would ordinarily bake them at around 325 degrees, but the other night I was in a hurry. You can bake them at a higher temp., but you really have to watch them. They burn quickly!

Oh yeah... As crazy as it sounds, these are really good sprinkled over ice cream (I like adding them to vanilla).  Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Cowgirl Boot Lust

I have been wanting a pair of colorful, fancy pants cowgirl boots for a while now.  Last week, I saw this pair on the J. Peterman Catalog.

These are by Ariat.

Then... I found these on the Ariat website.

Oh yeah... These have Zebra print pony fur.


This pair, also from Ariat, is fabulous:



Then... I looked at cowgirl boots on the Country Outfitter website, That was a BIG MISTAKE. They carry LOTS of brands. I fell in love with lots of boots and now I want to buy lots of boots!

Like these:


And these:


And these:

I LOVE the rustic, vintage look of these:


I think I NEED these:


SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!!! Floral Embroidery:


I found SO MANY more that I want, but I will stop NOW!!!! I would be happy to by 5 or 6 pair (maybe more). Ok.. I'm going to try to win the lottery so that I can satisfy my lust for cowgirl boots!!!!!!! I NEVER should have started looking.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Around Here Lately

Things have been going at the usual crazy pace, in my life. Last week I had a MAJOR REDO in my space(s), where I sell my found goods. I took over ANOTHER space next to my previous 2 spaces and combined all 3.  It took HOURS, but was worth the effort.

Did I mention that I sell all (well I try to sell most of my fabulous thrifted finds)? I sell at Sadie's Antiques, in Conyers, GA. It's a neat shop with lots of fun stuff. I have gotten to know some of the other dealers, and they are so creative!  Here are a couple of pics of my expanded booth space:



You can't really see the 3rd space. I was interrupted by an incoming call, while I was taking pics with my phone. So... I only snapped these 2. I will take more soon and post them.

We also celebrated Halloween, last week. Here is Sassy, dressed up as a cheerleader:




It was a lot of fun. We mostly followed her around the neighborhood. Walking up and down our street is one of her favorite things to do.

Here she is at the playground, playing peek-a-boo:


Oh... Here is one from yesterday morning:


Yep! That was chocolate for breakfast. Alex's dad was in town for the Falcon's game, and he gave her a Kit Kat. I think the chocolate goes well with the Hello Kitty boots. No?

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A Progression

I completed a painting a couple of days ago. A large one, 36 in X 48 in. I took several pictures of my progress and posted them on Instagram. I love, love, love Instagram! I thought I would show them here too.

Beginning:


Layer 1:


Layers 2, 3 & 4:


Layer 5 (black & white added):


Finished with a few extra touches of silver paint:


In the picture above, it is turned the way that I would hang it, but I think that is more about personal preference. I did not paint in with any sort of direction in mind. In fact, I turned the canvas multiple times while I was painting. I think I'm going to name it DK's Confusion for an issue that's been weighing heavily on my mind recently. It is acrylic on canvas. I enjoyed painting it and thought it would be fun to share.

Happy Halloween!!!!!